By Maureen Beezhold | Posted: Tuesday, January 9, 2007 12:00 am
Scientist and writer David Suzuki was quoted in "Coming to Land in a Troubled World": "Consumerism has taken the place of citizenship as the chief way we contribute to the health of our society." Perhaps we could consider a New Year's resolution that focuses on alternative ways to contribute to the health of our society.
The next month's events offer possibilities for doing just that:
• Northwest Earth Institute Volunteer Orientation: 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, da Vinci Days office, 760 S.W. Madison Ave. Discover opportunities to help your community become sustainable. Information: 752-3517 or cnwei@peak.org.
• Exploring Deep Ecology: 7 to 8:20 p.m., beginning Wednesday, Jan. 10, Corvallis High School, room 204, 1400 N.W. Buchanan Ave. In this nine-week course (CRN#34703), discuss the interdependence of life, and how values and beliefs influence our motivation and responsibility for the Earth's resources. Register online at sis.linnbenton.edu or in person at the Benton Center, 757 N.W. Polk Ave. Materials fee: $15. Information: 752-3517 or cnwei@peak.org.
• Food Not Lawns - How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden and Your Neighborhood into a Community: 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, First Alternative Co-op meeting room, 1007 S.E. Third St. Author Heather Flores will discuss rethinking the American icon of the lawn. Infor-mation: Rivka at 753-3115, ext. 335.
• Winter Tree Planting - Long Tom Watershed: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Jan. 13, Jan. 27, Feb. 10 and Feb. 24. The Long Tom Watershed Council is seeking volunteers to plant trees along restored stretches of creeks. Information: Jenna Garmon at 541-683-6949 or jgarmon@longtom.org.
• Healthy Children - Healthy Planet: Raising Children in a Consumer Culture: 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 16, Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, 2945 N.W. Circle Blvd. Eight-week Northwest Earth Institute course explores cultural pressures, rituals and celebrations, advertising and media, food and health. Materials fee: $16. Information: 752-3517 or cnwei@peak.org.
• Cadillac Desert - Part 1 - Lost Oasis: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Jan. 16 through March 20, Memorial Union, OSU, room 208 (La Raza Room): First of the free Winter Water Film Series sponsored by the Institute for Water and Watersheds. Will also feature "The Oregon Water Story," "Mountains in the Mist" and "Running Dry." Information: http://water.oregonstate.edu/news/Winter2007FilmSeries.pdf.
• Master Recycler's Class: Jan. 17 through March 7. Eight-week program offered by OSU Campus Recycling and Allied Waste Services. Covers all aspects of waste reduction, including two Saturday field trips. Free to participants who agree to "pay forward" with 30 hours of community service. Register at www.recycle.oregonstate.edu or at Allied Waste offices in Albany and Corvallis.
• Neighborhood Naturalist/Tracking, Wild Edibles, Native Plants, Birding: 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 21. Meet at the Avery Park Rose Garden. Trip will be conducted in a "poke around" fashion and will take a holistic nature observation approach. Children welcome but trip is not structured for small children. Leave dogs at home. Free. Information: Don Boucher at bouchdon@peak.org or www.neighborhoodnaturlist.com.
• Benton County Habitat Conservation Plan Meeting: 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 22, Benton Plaza basement meeting room, 408 S.W. Monroe Ave. See www.co.benton.or.
us/parks/hcp/index.php and check out "Upcoming Events." Meeting minutes have been posted for the Technical and Stakeholder Advisory Committee meetings in November. Information: hcpinfo@co.benton.or.us.
• Nuts and Bolts of Sustainability - Reducing Your Ecological Footprint: 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 23, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library meeting room, 645 N.W. Monroe Ave. Free workshop will show participants how to use the Natural Step Framework for sustainability at home. Registration requested; call 752-3517 or send e-mail to cnwei@peak.org. Sponsored by the Oregon Natural Step Network and the library.
• Voluntary Simplicity Across Cultures: Noon to 1 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m. Jan. 24, Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center, 128 S.W. Ninth St. In this eight-week course, join others from different cultures to explore what is enough and needs versus wants. Volunteers may be needed to be readers to non-English readers. To volunteer, call Dee Curwen at 754-7225. To register, call Dee or Maureen at 752-3517. Materials fee: $15.
• Conservation and Restoration Strategy for Native Oak Prairie in McDonald-Dunn Forest: 7 to 8 p.m. Jan. 25, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. OSU College of Forestry has developed a strategy for restoring remnant native prairie and oak habitats in McDonald-Dunn Forest. This effort will create new educational, cultural and ecological opportunities. The Oak/Prairie Strategy is an appendix to the McDonald-Dunn Forest Plan and can be viewed at www.cof.
orst.edu/cf/forests/mcdonald/plan.
• To Ourselves and Our Posterity: Climate Change and the Rights to Life, Liberty and Property: 4 p.m. Jan. 25, CH2M Hill Alumni Center, OSU, Cascade Ballroom 110. Part of Starker Lecture Series, a presentation by David Orr, professor and chair of the Environmental Studies Program at Oberlin College. Information: www.cof.orst.edu/starkerlectures.
• Northwest Earth Institute Volunteer Mentor Training: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Jan. 31, da Vinci Days office, 760 S.W. Madison Ave. Mentors are asked to do one or two discussion courses per year. To register, call 752-3517 or send e-mail to cnwei@peak.org.
• Avery House Nature Center - Winter Survival: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 1-2. Learn how animals survive through the coldest seasons. Cost is $30 per day or $15 for half-day session. Pre- and after-care available for $3 per hour. Register at the Corvallis Environmental Center, 753-9211, or email at ahnc@peak.org, or stop by 214 S.W. Monroe Ave.
• Third Annual Eco-Film Festival: 7 pm. every Friday night in February, Oddfellows Hall, 223 S.W. Second St. Admission is free; donations accepted along with donations of canned food for Tunison Food Bank. Non-profit tables related to film's subject will be on display.
- Feb. 2: "Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-energize America." Follow the life of a kilowatt from light bulb to mountaintop and on to a vision of renewable energy.
- Feb. 9: "Buyer Be Fair: The Promise of Product Certification." What do you know about coffee and wood and how to choose a sustainable product? Filmmaker John de Graaf will lead this journey.
- Feb. 16: "The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil." Cuba faced a fuel shortage after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Learn how it adapted to life with minimal oil.
- Feb. 23: "Source to Sea: The Columbia River Swim." Vicariously swim the Columbia River while exploring beauty and desecration.
Sponsored by the Oddfellows, Corvallis Environmental Center and Northwest Earth Institute. Information: 752-3517 or cnwei@peak.org.
• Interfaith Creation Care Group: 7 p.m. Feb. 7, New Morning Bakery, 219 S.W. Second St. Local faith leaders and lay persons meet to share ideas on sustainability. Information: 752-3517 or cnwei@peak.org.
• Benton Soil and Water Conservation District has started a collection of recycled reusable utensils, plates, napkins and serving dishes for community use. For a $10 refundable deposit and the time and energy to wash up you can have a Reduced Waste Party. Call or send e-mail for availability: 753-7208 or ce@bentonswcd.org.
For information on any of these projects, call 752-3517.